


Midnight Ramen

by eclecticat



Category: Good Morning Call (TV)
Genre: F/M, Feelings, Feelings Realization, Romance, Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-16
Updated: 2018-07-16
Packaged: 2019-06-11 11:24:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,105
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15314445
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eclecticat/pseuds/eclecticat
Summary: Issei is a man and men don’t combust in the sheer cute of a certain Yoshikawa Nao.





	Midnight Ramen

**Author's Note:**

> First time writing a fic for a jdrama! :)  
> I'm going down with this ship; I really love Issei!

“I’m glad you’re nearby,” Nao says in the middle of chewing her ramen noodles. 

It’s already 11 in the evening and she’s still in her school uniform which is such an odd site for Issei if you ask him. 

Issei’s too used to seeing Nao in her work clothes aka his old gym class uniform back when he was still in middle school. The first time he told her to wear it, it was meant to be a joke. Nao could have worn regular clothing, but she took the joke seriously. 

So now Issei is too accustomed to seeing Nao in his old middle school gym uniform that seeing her in her school uniform makes him feel things. 

Nao looks pretty.

Like real pretty.

Even with some ramen soup stuck on the skin near her mouth.

How is it that Issei is only seeing it now?

“Issei, are you okay?” There goes Nao’s big round eyes looking at him again. God, it has always had an effect on him, but not to this extent. Issei feels like his heart is going to explode. It’s frightening to say the least. He hasn’t felt this way for a long time now, too preoccupied with running the business.

Issei shakes his head and throws a bunch of tissue at Nao’s direction. “You got ramen soup all over your face!” He’s pretty sure he’s blushing now and he just hopes Nao thinks it’s because of all the heat surrounding him. Wait, when did he start caring what Nao thinks of him? He’s her boss, damn it!

“Eh?” Nao is easily flustered. She takes the tissue and furiously wipes it all over her mouth. Issei laughs at that. Nao’s always acted like a child. It normally makes Issei laugh, but now it makes his heart beat faster than normal.

This is bad.

Really bad.

“So,” He makes himself busy by wiping the tables. Evening Star Ramen is close for the day, after all. All the utensils have been washed and placed in the cupboard; ingredients safely inside the refrigerator for tomorrow’s use. His father’s already upstairs, calling it a night after bidding Nao goodnight. “What were you doing outside the shop? Today’s your day off, isn’t it?”

The question embarasses Nao. She places her chopsticks on the edge of the bowl and says her thank you. “Forgot my house key and I don’t know Uehara’s number,” Nao says sheepishly. It’s so cute Issei thinks he’s going to combust.

Issei is a man though and men don’t combust in the sheer cute of a certain Yoshikawa Nao. 

“What do you mean you don’t know Uehara’s number?” Issei places the dirt towel at the edge of one of the table and stands in front of Nao, hands on his hips. “What kind of girlfriend doesn’t know his boyfriend’s number?”

Nao murmurs something along the lines of “Well, I was waiting for the right time to ask him for it, you know,” to which she immediately changes to “Nothing,” when Issei asks her to speak louder.

This is so frustrating for Issei. 

He grabs a chair and sits on it, so he’s eye level with Nao.

“And you didn’t go to Uehara’s work to ask for his key?” 

Nao pouts this time around. “Well, I don’t know the exact location of the cafe he works at,”

“And the gasoline station?”

“Don’t know either…he doesn’t want me going to his workplace...”

The pout is still there and Issei is so close to promising the moon and the stars just to wipe that pout away.

Why does Nao have to like someone as callous as Uehara when she can be with someone…

Like him.

Nao can be with Issei and he will treat her like the princess she deserves to be.

Issei sighs and ruffles Nao’s hair instead.

“You want another serving of ramen?” Issei asks. The shop is technically closed and all the utensils and ingredients safely carded away, but Issei can go through all the trouble of taking them all out if his ramen can make Nao happy.

Nao’s face visibly brightens up. She shakes on her chair as she nods at Issei. Issei takes it as his cue to grin at his employee and go behind the cooking area once again. 

They talk about anything under the moonlight. It’s nearing midnight and the only sounds that could be heard in the room are Issei and Nao’s conversation floating above the music of ramen cooking in the background. 

At this point, Issei should offer Nao his room. He can always sleep in his father’s room. It will be a tight fit, but something he can do for Nao.

He can do anything for Nao at this point.

Issei’s about to place the ramen on a tray, so he can transfer it to Nao’s table when the shutter door opens. It rings in his ears, but what flusters him more is the sudden brightness in Nao’s voice.

“Uehara!” Nao runs towards Uehara and offers him the sweetest smile she always has. Uehara always tugs the sweetest smiles out of Nao. Always.

“Abe said you’re here…” Uehara looks bored, but Issei can see the droplets of sweat clinging to his skin. His voice sounds tired too, like he’s still trying to catch his breath. 

Nao doesn’t see any of this though; she only sees that Uehara came for her even if it’s too late already.

Issei coughs to get the attention of the two. Uehara is the first to look at him and it’s a look that says a lot. It’s both a look of gratitude and a look of a challenge. Nao may be oblivious of Issei’s feelings for her, but Uehara is not.

“Took you long enough to get Nao,” Issei comments. He places the newly-cooked ramen on Nao’s table and places his hands on his hips. Nao merely pouts at him before looking back at Uehara.

“I thought she was at Marina’s,” Uehara says. He grabs Nao’s things from the table and pulls her away, but not before bowing to Issei. “Thank you for taking care of her,” Uehara says one last time. 

Nao bows as well and smiles brightly at Issei. 

“Thanks, Issei! I’ll repay you for the ramen soon!”

It’s a smile so bright it can rival her smile for Uehara.

Can being the keyword.

The last thing Issei hears before Uehara and Nao leaves are the shuffling of their feet and their silly arguments about each other. Issei looks at the closed door and the untouched ramen on the table.

They could have brought the ramen with them.


End file.
